'When this service closes, I'm scared I'll relapse'

"I was drinking four to five bottles of vodka per day before this place turned my life around."

Ellie Humphreys is 24 years old and sober for the first time in eight years after getting help at The Crescent, a supported living service run by charity Framework in Nottingham's Hyson Green.

But next month, the service will close after having its council funding withdrawn - a move Ellie believes will put lives at risk and "abandon people who urgently need help."

Nottingham City Council said it would work with those affected to discuss their next steps and direct them to the appropriate services.

The funding cuts are impacting 52 residents across two supported living sites, with Hughendon Lodge in Mapperley also closing its doors on 31 March.

Framework told the BBC it was "not consulted" about the council's decision and one resident had been "held under the Mental Health Act" after hearing about the development.

For other residents like Ellie, the news has been "heartbreaking" and she told the BBC she felt "terrified" about her future.

Ellie says she started drinking at the age of 16 as a "coping mechanism" but then her addiction spiralled out of control, ruining personal relationships and leading to her couch-surfing for periods of time.

She came to The Crescent a few years ago after her addiction worsened in a previous supported living placement.

The Crescent offers 24-hour care to people with mental health conditions who are at risk of homelessness, and aims to help people live independently.

She said: "My life before here was really bad. In my last place there was no staff, people got into fights and the police came all the time.

"No-one really checked up on us. I didn't feel safe and my drinking got worse."

Ellie told the BBC she was in an abusive relationship that contributed to her drinking up to five bottles of vodka per day.

"Because staff weren't there, my ex would sneak in through the back door and let himself into my room. He tried to control what I'd do," she said.

"He drank lots. I drank lots. I was constantly in and out of hospital overdosing -sometimes every week. I've lost count."

Ellie said she had "given up hope" by the time she arrived at The Crescent.

"When I first got here, I spent hours crying my eyes out, worrying about where my life would go," she said.

"But they got me through - they refused to let my ex inside and I cut him off. They sat with me through my hallucinations when I suffered from withdrawals.

"They helped me get my life back, and I finally felt safe here. Now, I'm scared that I'll relapse."

Ellie's Mum, Jo Cole, said she had been having "sleepless nights" since hearing the news.

"For years, me and Ellie had no relationship. Honestly, I thought I'd get a knock on my door to the news that she's dead" she said.

"Since coming here, we see each other every week. In the last twelve months she has gone above and beyond and changed. I am so proud of her.

"To hear that Ellie might pick up a bottle again when she's moved...I'm devastated.

"The council is heading towards a mental health crisis. I fear for Ellie's life, and all the resident's lives."

Tom Mole is the manager at The Crescent, and he is now at risk of redundancy along with 11 members of staff based at the site.

"Myself and other staff are worried about how this will impact service users," he said.

"We don't know where they will go, putting them at risk of homelessness. It's a short-sighted decision."

"The team here don't do this for money. We want to help people, and this decision is putting lives in danger."

The charity's chief executive Andrew Redfern said the funding cut would "increase the burden on housing, police, employment and other public services."

"There is a recent history of tragedy in Nottingham, associated with the failure to recognise and manage the risks around severe mental illness, and this seems to have been overlooked," he said.

Nottingham City Council said it "cannot comment on individual cases, and every resident is being offered an assessment to determine their needs".

It added: "The decision to terminate the contract was not made on budget cuts. It is common to review contracts if we believe they are no longer delivering the best value, or if residents needs change."

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, support can be found via the BBC Action Line.

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